“Is it just me or do your injuries seem to be escalating faceless? Ten pieces in total. I’m very surprised your weren’t torn apart, or that nothing vital was hit.”
Touya grimaced as he looked at the pieces of metal that had struck him, had he really taken that much? It was hard to recall. He lifted his gaze up to Reginald and smirked at him once more, closing his eyes he shook his head slightly, "Therian, Reginald, or Touya. Not 'faceless'."
“You’ll be glad to know that only one arm was severely injured this time however. Food anyone? I’m famished.”
A soft sound caught his attention after Damea had left the room in anger. April had left him just as Damea had entered the room and chided him. She looked washed and was wearing different clothes. The cloth over her body was obviously far to large for her to be wearing and he thought that despite it, the look complimented her very well. She lifted the bowl up as an offering to him and he gazed at the pile of mush in curiosity and also a bit of weariness. Did she intent for him to eat that?
“You should eat. It’ll maintain your strength. Allow me. You’re arm must be still hurting right?”
She leaned over him and helped him upwards so that his back was against the back of the couch he rested on. The movement pulled the wounds along his body but it didn't hurt half as bad as it would have had he done it on his own. She settled back down and held the bowl up, getting a spoonful of the white mush that steamed. He eyed her carefully as she blew on it and then brought it up to his face. On instinct, Touya drew away from it and flicked his gaze between the spoon and then to her.
"I can feed myself," he muttered and reached up to take hold of the spoon. Unfortunately, and to his utter dismay, his fingers would not comply and he could not close them properly due to the dent and the other arm was even worse he couldn't even move it without feeling pain. He glowered at the spoon that hovered before him defiantly and felt a faint blush upon his cheeks as he sat there. Slowly, he leaned forward and took the spoon into his mouth taking the food that was upon it.
Upon letting the spoon slid from his lips, he grimaced as he tried to eat whatever it was she'd given him. It was sticky and without taste, bland really to him at least. He forced himself to swallow it though and lifted his hand up to his lips as he gave her a disgusted look. Once his mouth was clear of food he spoke to her, "You're trying to poison me, yes? What is this?"
“Calm down mate. Come, why don’t you sit down and have a bowl of food?”
Damea uncrossed his arms and pulled out the chair next to the table. The mercenary plopped down but didn't take the bowl offered to him. Instead he sat there for a while, boiling in his anger but feeling relieved at the same time. He flicked his gaze over to Reginald after a moment and heaved a heavy sigh before giving in.
"Fine, I'll eat," he said and grabbed the bowl. He was starving after all, between mouthfuls he growled out his anger at the Therian, "I can't believe... he would try and get himself killed again... Really, how many times is it going to take for him to realize!" Damea chewed another bite and reached for a cup of water, "He's not going to keep getting lucky like this and he'll actually get himself killed. What's that going to do? I really wonder about him sometimes... that man has a serious deathwish...." he turned with another spoonful of porridge in his mouth to glower into the other room. What he saw though had his eyes widening and his thoughts turning abruptly from anger to astonishment and then mischief. Turning back around he swallowed the mouthful and grinned at Reginald.
"Although, if April sticks around I think he might just make a complete turnaround. I mean, she seems to have gotten closer to him recently. Last I remember she was about ready to rip his head off and now look at her. She's feeding him," Damea grinned and took another bite. He would have to make sure to mention this to her later, but perhaps when she was in a particularly good mood, the fire mage didn't exactly wish to die at such a young age.
"Seems the army was called back to their city," Val said as he leaned against a tree. The night had grown cold and the rain had done nothing to ease that. It had been three days of travel across the wilds, including three days of rain, and the only thing he'd set eyes upon besides the army was a small group of soldiers and an empty carriage on the road. It seemed something of interest had happened there, but Val hadn't gotten the details. Whoever was involved with the ordeal was long gone.
"Shall we return?"
"Not yet. I want to know more about these humans... we still need to learn more about their technological advances. I fear there is more to it than just their trying to re-create our species into their own."
"What do you want to do now, Val?"
"We get inside the city and infiltrate their ranks. Go as high as we can go and learn as much as we can. Then we leave, no traces, no killing, simply information gathering."
"What of the others that went to get information?"
"They should be on their way back to the caves now. Once they get there, they'll realize that we were discovered. Everyone knew that if we were ever discovered we were to head further south. Don't worry about them, we'll get what we need here and meet up with them afterwards."
"That sounds like a mighty fine idea, Val," a feminine voice cut in. Val startled a bit and turned to look at who had addressed him. Standing with her arms crossed was a fairly short Therian woman with long brown hair and deep set green eyes. She once had a beautiful smile and softer eyes, but hard times had changed that and she now wore a scowl most times and those green gems were ice cold.
"Ahmeil. It's very good to see you again," Val said, smiling at her the moment he saw her. Reaching out he hugged her, just barely feeling her own arms wrap around him for a mere moment before she released him.
"I'm just fine. Every errand you send me on is easier than the last," she scowled.
"Because I care about you, Ahmeil, just as I care for everyone here."
She scoffed at him, "I can take care of myself."
"I realize that. Do you have anything to report to me?"
"A few things of interest," she reached behind her back and pulled forward a satchel that was bulging outwards in an awkward shape. Dropping it to the ground, she untied it and let the bag fall away from the device that she'd procured. Val knelt down next to it and examined it carefully before looking up to her.
"What is it?"
"One of the human's new toys. It does something to our magic, keeps us from using it. It's very... unpleasant... to fight against it," Ahmeil grimaced as she crossed her arms and glowered at the device.
"Intriguing," Val murmured to himself as he continued to examine the device. After a moment longer he pulled the bag back over it and motioned for one of the men to take it. He looked back to Ahmeil as he stood, "I'm sure I can find a few uses for it," he grinned at her, "Good work, Ahmeil. Would you like to join us as we infiltrate their city?"
"I thought you would never ask," she answered and her body shivered as she shifted her form into that of a human soldiers. The rest of the group followed suit that were to go inside the city. Val was last to shift his form and when that was done, the only thing that was left was to walk into the city gates as the sun peeked through the gray clouds of the fifth day. They were unhindered as they entered, just a group of soldiers that moved into the city. A few seconds later, when no one was looking, the soldiers shifted forms again and were simple citizens. It was like this that the group of Therian's moved through the wash of people. With no one the wiser, the group of rebel Therian's had inserted themselves into the deepest parts of civilization and worked their way up the ladder to where the information was.